Cristiano Ronaldo: the secret to his longevity? | OneFootball

As Portugal prepare to face Spain on Monday night, attention again centres on Cristiano Ronaldo. Le Progres notes the Seleção captain continues to defy age at 41.

On 17 June, against DR Congo, he became the oldest player to start a World Cup match. On 3 July he then became the oldest to score in a knockout tie. He is at his sixth World Cup.

"His diet is balanced, he eats a bit of everything but it is always healthy. Avocado, coffee and eggs without sugar for breakfast, then chicken, fish and vegetables for lunch, without classic carbs like pasta or bread," said his former chef, Giorgio Barone, speaking to Covers. "In the evening he chooses light meat or fish with vegetables, and sugar, junk food and even the PlayStation are banned."

Beyond diet, his daily routine is tightly managed. His partner Georgina Rodríguez has said on social media and in Portuguese media that he rises at six am, trains early while keeping hydrated, rests for about one hour 30 minutes, then swims late in the day to relax before sleep.

"Genetically, I feel as if I am 30. I pay great attention to my body and my mind," he told ESPN Brasil. "After 33 the body still respects what you ask of it when you need it, but the hardest battle is mental. You have to know how to adapt. That is the key for a player who wants to last, and I have found that balance."

Source: Le Progres